Features

Feds Move to Rein In Prior Authorization, a System That Harms and Frustrates Patients

Insurers now commonly require prior authorization for many mundane medical encounters, including basic imaging and prescription refills.

California’s COVID Misinformation Law Is Entangled in Lawsuits, Conflicting Rulings

The law define misinformation as false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus.

Medicaid Health Plans Try to Protect Members—and Profits—During Unwinding

The Biden administration estimates that 15 million of the more than 91 million Medicaid enrollees will fall off the rolls.

Virtual or In Person: Which Kind of Doctor’s Visit Is Better, And When It Matters

There are no hard-and-fast rules, but here’s some guidance about when it may make more sense to choose one or the other.

Biden Administration Urged to Take More Aggressive Steps to Relieve Medical Debt

Advocates are pressing the IRS to crack down on nonprofit hospital systems that withhold financial assistance from low-income patients.

Era of ‘Free’ COVID Vaccines, Test Kits, and Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay the Tab Now?

People without insurance will need to either pay full price, seek free or low-cost vaccines from community clinics or go without.

As Pandemic-Era Medicaid Provisions Lapse, Millions Approach a Coverage Cliff

The federal government’s extra funding for states that kept people on Medicaid will end in the coming months.

Melissa Lopez explains the COVID testing process to a taco shop employee in Fresno, California, as part of her training as a health educator.

Latino Teens Are Deputized as Health Educators to Sway the Unvaccinated

Young people help get COVID vaccination numbers up, particularly when they help navigate the health system for Spanish-speaking relatives.

Public Health Agencies Try to Restore Trust as They Fight Misinformation

Data suggest skepticism and misinformation surrounding COVID vaccines now threatens other public health priorities.

Experts Are Still Puzzled Over Who Should Get Which COVID Shots and When

While regular boosters may help keep vulnerable people out of the hospital, annual boosters might not be necessary for everyone.

Will Your Smartphone Be the Next Doctor’s Office?

Using smartphones as diagnostic tools is a work in progress, experts say.

The Decision of Where to Seek Care Is Complicated by the Multitude of Options

People who are injured or sick are asked, in a moment of stress, to prudently decide which medical setting is the best place to seek help.

Detainees Dread COVID While Awaiting Immigration Hearings

At least 11 people have died from COVID-19 while in ICE custody, but advocates say that may be an underestimate.

Hospital Financial Decisions Play a Role in the Critical Shortage of Pediatric Beds for RSV Patients

The number of pediatric inpatient units in hospitals fell 19% from 2008 to 2018.

Paxlovid Has Been Free So Far. Next Year, Sticker Shock Awaits.

The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to soon stop supplying COVID-19 treatments for free.

Treating Long COVID Is Rife With Guesswork

Experts are casting a wide net for treatments, with few ready for formal clinical trials.